


You're What, Sorry

by Peggo



Category: Cricket RPF
Genre: Oblivious Teammates, also joe loves wearing jos' jumpers change my mind, but also that's just how they are so how were they to know, engagement reveal ?, they're so in love it's obvious, this is so stupid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:54:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25784716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peggo/pseuds/Peggo
Summary: Joe and Joe have been dating for seven years, are finally engaged, and excited to share their news with their team.Their team, who hadn't realised they were together.
Relationships: Chris Woakes/Jonny Bairstow (like not really I just mention them together but I imagine they are so), Eoin Morgan/Ben Stokes/Mark Wood (implied), Jos Buttler/Joe Root, Rory Burns/Ollie Pope (implied), Sam Curran/Dom Bess (implied but like only if you're really looking)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 12





	You're What, Sorry

**Author's Note:**

> This is so stupid, but I just felt like instead of Joe and Joe being oblivious, maybe everyone else should get a go, because their love is so natural.

When Joe and Jos come into training, there’s definitely a different energy about the two lads. Joe has a spring in his step, more so than usual, and Jos is looking at Joe with pure adoration. 

Joe clears his throat, beaming at Jos, before saying, “Lads. Just before we start training, we have an announcement to make.” 

The team quiet down, wondering what it could be that has Joe delaying the start of warm ups. As they find a spot to settle down in, Ben perching on the table to the left of Joe, in case it’s not news that Joe wants to be giving, and might need support, despite his positive demeanor, Rory coming to stand and lean on the cubbies behind Ollie, and Stuart and Jimmy pausing their mumblings in the corner and turning to face their captain and wicket keeper.

Joe looks at Jos, radiant, and asks, “Do you want to tell them, or shall I?” 

Jos laughs, “Go on, you do it, I know you want to.” 

“We’re engaged! Jos proposed last week, but we wanted to wait until we were all together in person! It was beautiful, and _so_ romantic, wasn’t it Jos and- why aren’t you happy for us?” Joe’s face falls as he looks around the silent dressing room, wondering what had gone wrong. Jos places a hand on his lower back, similarly looking around the dressing room at their best friends, making eye contact with Jimmy and trying to urge him into saying _something_. But all their friends are looking at the pair in shock. 

Jofra’s stopped throwing the ball between his hands, a subconscious habit he has whenever they’re sitting still. Sam’s eyes are wide and he’s mouthing _engaged_ over and over to himself, as Dom repeatedly glances between Joe to Jos to Joe again. Mark hurried over to Ben, and Jos thinks he heard him whisper _did you know_ , and sees Ben shake his head. Jos can feel Joe’s panic rise, and presses his hand into the small of his back a little firmer as Joe’s anxiety bubbles over, 

“Is this a problem? We can un-engage ourselves until we both retire, if you like! Because if you’re worried about bias in the team, then we can definitely un-engage ourselves. I’ll be his non-fiancé. It’ll be OK. I can ever retire now, if you’d prefer! But we’ve been dating for seven years and you never had a problem with it, so we figured it would be OK, you know, to do all the get down on one knee and ask for marriage things.” Joe is rambling, he knows it, but he can’t help it, as the dressing room looks at them both in shock. 

Chris Silverwood pokes his head around the door, “Have you told them yet, Joe? I was waiting for the cheers to chivvy you back to training. Congratulations, to you both, by the way, we’re all so happy for you. It’s been a long time coming, hasn’t it Jossy boy. Joe was worried he was going to have to do the proposing the time it took you.” He chortles, before looking around the dressing room and taking a moment to read the atmosphere. He frowns. “I hope none of you boys are going to act out about this. You all know Joe would put the team first, and we’ve seen him do it time and time again. OK, he’s reluctant to do so, but he does it, and I would have thought you’d all be through the roof, they’re perfect for each other.”

The rest of the team remain silent, until a broken, 

“Seven years?” breaks the silence. It’s Ben and he’s looking between Jos and Joe like he’s never met them before. “You’ve been dating _seven years?_ And _none of us knew_? Why didn’t you tell us?”

Joe and Jos look around the room, and it’s their turn now to be rattled. Joe is opening and closing his mouth and looking from one of his friends to the next in disbelief, and Jos looks at Chris for some guidance.

“You’re joking right, lads?” Chris says, as he tries to read the room, “They’re the most obnoxiously in love couple we’ve got. They’re painfully domestic, they don’t need to tell you, just look at them and you can _see_ how in love they are. Just think about anytime you’ve seen Joe and Jos together and tell me you didn’t notice how gone they are for each other.” 

And when they cast their minds back to it, it is obvious.

* * *

Ben thinks back to Joe’s birthday party, in the early days of their international careers, when he’d gone round and arrived early, to see if he could help Joe out in any way, new to the hosting game. He had pulled up into Joe’s driveway, only to see Jos’ car already there. Jos had opened the door for Ben, and taken his coat for him, showing him in, and fixing him his drink. Joe had come down from upstairs, fresh from his shower, and seemed surprised to see Ben sat on his sofa, drink in hand. Ben had smiled widely at his best friend, and complimented whatever it was that ‘smelled so good, Joe, I didn’t know you could bake, you’ve always been a savoury kind of man.’ 

Joe had smiled, and thanked Ben before sitting down on the arm of Jos’ armchair, and placing his hand on Jos’ back, maybe for balance, but looking back on it Ben realised it was something more, and that Jos’ hand coming to rest on Joe’s thigh was more than just steadying Joe, but gentle intimacy.

“I can’t take all the credit though, I’m afraid. I’m still the savoury man, but luckily Jos makes a great cake. He’s actually just great at baking, if I’m honest, you should try his pecan pie, Ben you’d love it.” He looked down at Jos, who was just smiling fondly back at him, before grinning at Ben, “It’s quite lucky, very Jack Sprat and his wife.” Maybe Ben should have picked up on Joe calling himself and Jos husband and wife, but it had seemed like an innocuous throwaway comment at the time.

The timer had gone then, and Jos had got up to go check on his pineapple upside-down cake, but not before leaving a lingering hand on Joe’s shoulder, as Joe slid onto the vacated armchair. 

“Isn’t he brilliant?” Asked Joe, smiling at Jos’ retreating figure, “Pineapple upside down cake! I told him he didn’t have to, but he knows how much I love it.” They chat comfortably, asking about each other's family and filling each other in with their news, until Jos comes back in with two mugs of tea, places two coasters down on the table, and looks at Ben. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know how you like your tea, what can I get for you? We’ve also got coffee and various fruit juices, because this one can’t decide on a flavour.”

Joe laughs, sipping his own mug of tea, “Variety is the spice of life, Jos, you know this, sweetpea.” 

Jos rolls his eyes, listens to Ben’s tea preferences and turns back to the kitchen to go make him his cuppa. Ben dismisses Joe’s ‘sweetpea’, he often wheels out ridiculous pet names for all his friends, Ben himself has been ‘my darling’ one too many times for him to bat an eyelash at a passing sweetpea. Ben also missed how Jos had said ‘we’ in reference to Joe’s fridge - they weren’t living together yet at this point - instead of something more neutral, such as ‘there’s’. How Jos _did_ know Joe’s tea, and had made it for him, as though on autopilot, and the good natured manner in which they bantered between them. Looking back at it, all the signs of painful domesticity that come with a comfortable and established relationship are there, but that was also just how Jos and Joe were. 

When everyone else arrived Ben had been surprised at how smoothly Joe had handled the arrivals and how fluidly the evening had gone for an inexperienced host and a first dinner party. But, if he’d just paid a bit more attention to the goings on in the evening (instead of flirting with Mark the entire night), then he realises that he would have noticed how it was definitely a team effort. How, when Stuart had knocked over his beer while Joe was adding the finishing touches to the mains, Jos had got a tea towel and some kitchen roll and sorted it out before anyone had even thought to tell Joe. The seamless manner in which Jos had taken over some of the kitchen duties as Joe welcomed in their guests, stirring Joe’s gravy, so it wouldn’t go lumpy or burn. The fact that Jos made sure the drinks kept flowing after dinner, while Joe entertained the guests. They worked so perfectly in tandem and it felt so natural that Ben hadn’t noticed, but all the signs were there and so obvious once you knew them.

  
  


Dom reckons he’d have noticed if he had known, but also, in his defence, nobody told him, and by the time he was integrated in the team that’s just how Jos and Joe were. So how was he to know? Maybe their post-training routine might have clued him in, but _nobody told him_ . It seems nobody knew, but if he’d have known, he realises it’s pretty obvious. Joe and Jos always wait for everyone to leave before they leave themselves, hanging around in case anyone wants to ask Joe a question as captain and a senior batter, and since they shared a lift home- _or were completely and utterly in love but again no one told Dom this_ \- Jos would hang around too. They’d settle down in the corner of the room, Joe’s left leg hooked over Jos’ right, leaning on his shoulder, _the picture of friendship_ , and would play Words WIth Friends, sat next to each other. 

“Did you just play “DOE” for four?” 

“It got eight… double letter, babe” (And maybe Dom should have realised that the babe was less of a sardonic babe, and actually maybe was serious, thinking about it.) Joe was smiling at Jos, grinning until he looked back down at his phone and his smile dropped instantly.

“...Jos. I love you,” _OK it might have been obvious_ , “ Just bare with me, here. Did you just play “CONCEPTUALIZING”, _americanly to use that z_ , on _three_ double letters, for 1469 points?” With the benefit of hindsight Dom can recognise that the way Jos reached up and absentmindedly ran his fingers through Joe’s hair, scratching slightly at the base of his hairline and twirling loose strands between his fingers was a delicate and subtle sort of intimacy. An unspoken apology for demolishing Joe’s ‘doe’ and a simultaneous soothing mechanism.

The two of them sat there, pausing their game when Ollie approaches with a question and Joe spends time chatting with Ollie about stance and grip and back foot playing. Dom and Sam mill about, waiting for the conversation to end, since they'd planned to grab a bite to eat together at Waga’s after training, but Joe and Ollie’s conversation was still going strong. Jos hasn’t moved from his position next to Joe, and has taken Joe’s bowling hand in his and started massaging the knuckles absentmindedly. Joe acts like he hasn’t even noticed as Jos rubs tight circles around his joints, as though it’s commonplace. When the conversation starts to draw to a close, Jos leaves Joe talking through head position with Ollie and starts to pack up Joe’s kit. 

At the time Dom had dismissed it as Jos wanting to get home, but the reality was Joe was very particular about his kit and got very particular about who handled his bats, gloves and helmet. If Sam had just started packing up Joe’s kit Joe might have had a fit there and then, not even Ali could really get away with touching his stuff without forewarning. But it wasn’t Sam or Ali tidying up Joe’s area, re-uniting left gloves with the right, it was Jos. And Dom supposes that’s the bottom line, the tell tale sign he missed- to Joe, Jos is special, exceptional even. The same rules don’t apply to Jos. Because it’s Jos. 

  
  


Rory’s staying over at Joe and Jos’ after a cricket match up north. They’d won, and despite Rory’s initial plans to try and make it back down as quickly as possible he knew he was in no fit state to drive back. They’d ordered pizza, because ‘we need some carbs, our bread is all in the freezer and, c’mon babe we _deserve it_ ’ and Rory had gone to put his stuff in their spare room (how had he not noticed they had a _spare room_ in their _two bedroom apartment_ ). He made his way back to their living room to catch Joe placing his phone back onto the coffee table and tucking his feet under Jos’ thighs to warm them up. He entered the room as Jos turned to Joe, bemused.

“Changed your lock screen again, have you? After you’d found the ‘perfect photo of us, Jossy, I want it on my gravestone, your hair falls just right and not to tootle my own trumpet but my eyes are banging’? I preferred the photo you had before that one anyway. The one of us at the Red Lion.” He notices Rory in the doorway and beckons him over. “Rory. What do you think of this photo?”

It’s a photo from the meal they’d just been at. Joe is (trying) to toast Ben for his ‘century and being the best fucking friend anyone could ask for, you make me feel so safe and loved, and also for your hundred runs, did I mention that, because that was magical’, glass raised and laughing. To his left, Jos is sat down, staring up at Joe (yes OK, maybe looking a little in love, but that’s just _how Jos looks at Joe_ ), he’s midway through folding his napkin, and he’s laughing too. It’s a brilliant photo, and the speed at which Joe has made it his lockscreen had made Rory smile, (and maybe should have clued Rory in, but he was tired and had had a few beers).

He nods his approval, smiling, and complimenting their obvious joy in a photo. Joe grins at Rory, and nods along, before stealing his phone back, and scrolling through his photos pulling up another photo and showing it to Rory. 

“Jos prefers this one. That’s why he’s really asking your opinion on that photo. And although his hair _does_ look better in this photo, I do really like your hair that length, Jossy’ ( _a totally normal passing comment between friends)_ ‘but we’re not as _happy._ It doesn’t radiate as much joy.”

This photo is from a couple of months ago, and Rory vaguely remembers the night. It had been one of the Monday Night Pub Quiz Nights near the Oval, and although they hadn’t done particularly well in the quiz they’d had a lovely night. He’d left with Ollie not too long after the quiz had ended, Ollie having started to get dozy in the music round, but Joe and Jos had stayed for a while after, along with Chris and Jonny, and Ben, Eoin and Mark. Like Joe’s current lockscreen neither are aware the photo is being taken. There’s a jenga tower to the side of the shot, Jos takes the centre and he’s smiling at someone out of frame, elbow on the table, holding a pint glass that’s nearly empty. Joe’s head rests on Jos’ shoulder, his eyes shut, Rory thinks he might be asleep, and Jos’ other arm that isn’t holding his drink holds Joe tightly to his side ( _you know, in a friendly way_ ), and he’s wearing a Somerset jumper. 

Jos smiles, zooming in on Joe, “But just look at that. You don’t need radiating joy, this was such a good night! You fell asleep after insisting on a game of jenga, not long after you and Ollie left, Rory. Broady took this photo, actually. It was just, a really good night, and I like the photo. Sue me.” Joe laughs, and the pizza arrives. Jos gets up, picking up a wallet from the side table - _Joe’s wallet_ \- to bring it through. 

And when Rory comes down stairs the following morning to see Joe slumped at the island, in an England jumper with the little number 665 and the initials JB instead of 655 and JR, nursing a strong brew as Jos makes pancakes it’s the sign of two friends who have a routine set up, not painful domesticity to his bleary eyes.

  
  


Maybe the most obvious sign that they missed was Jos’ tells with Joe, Mark thinks. Whenever Joe was hit for example. 

There had been a time in the nets and Joe had been paired with Jofra. Jos was in the nets to the left, with Mark, and the four of them had been throwing banter around as they trained. Joe had been playing fluidly, and had been seeing the ball well. But when the ball is being bowled at 90mph mistakes are made, and Jofra bowls a particularly mean bouncer, taking Joe by surprise and hitting him sharply on the side of his helmet as he tries to duck. Joe staggers back, falling to the ground and Jos whips round to watch.

He hears Mark calling over for medical aid, and Jofra running over to Joe to try and check on him, ease the helmet off and put him in recovery position and he feels like he’s underwater. Joe is already trying to sit up when their physio, Craig, jogs over, ready to run their standard concussion tests, checking his pupils. As Craig begins the questioning, and much to Jos’ dismay he hears Joe hesitate before responding with ‘Old Trafford, right?’, Mark returns to his net and sees Jos still stood in the same spot, feet rooted to the ground, which is unusual for the keeper. Jos and his level head, who was able to leap into action whenever necessary- he had helped Steve Smith out when he’d been in a similar position and as a wicketkeeper was used to aiding batsmen out when they were in difficulty.

At the time the lads had chalked it up to Joe being next to Jos at the time, directly to the side and Jos would have been in shock seeing his captain struck at such close proximity, but they’d all missed the way Craig talks Jos through what he should do for Joe, the next steps if it gets worse, and writes various instructions on how best to look after Joe. And how Chris Silverwood pats Jos on the back and says, ‘take care of him, lad’, as Jos leads Joe to their ( _their_ ) car. 

Joe isn’t cleared for training for the rest of the week, and has instructions to stay at home, and then come back in for checks Friday. Jos had been subdued throughout the week, spending time with the medical team in breaks, talking through how Joe was doing. He’d hurry home as quickly as possible after training, politely declining invitations of post-training hangouts. It’s the same sort of energy that Jimmy has, whenever Ali is waiting for him at home, an urgency to return back as quickly as possible, which Mark supposes was another clue in.

Ben, Eoin and Mark had gone round to Jos and Joe’s to drop off some take-away mid-way through the week, and let themselves in (and Joe you need to keep your spare key somewhere safer than under the plant pot, please), they follow the sound of music coming from the kitchen and find Joe and Jos dancing slowly, as music filters from their radio. Joe’s head rests on Jos’ chest as they sway to some gentle crooning, and when Jos notices Ben, Eoin and Mark in the doorway he smiles at them and motions his head for them to come in, slowly coming to a stop. Joe removes his head from where it was nestled and he smiles at the trio. They spend the evening chatting about what Joe’s missed in training, and the various dressing room antics that Joe pretends he doesn’t care about as much, now that he’s captain, but they all know that he’s deeply invested in the muckings about. 

Mark remembers how on the way home Eoin had teased Ben about how they never danced like that in the kitchen, how come Joe and Jos are more romantic than we are, and we’re _dating_ , and Ben had laughed and they’d joked about Joe being Jos’ housewife, and first dances at weddings. Ultimately they'd decided that Jos had tricked Joe into dancing in the kitchen to try and calm him down, as though Joe didn't take great joy in being held close to Jos, swaying to pure cheese, with Jos pressing kisses into his hair, and as though slow dancing in kitchens was a completely platonic activity.

* * *

In the changing room Joe and Jos were still staring in disbelief at their friends. 

“You seriously didn’t realise?” Their teammates shake their head.

“What about how we always share a room?”

“We just figured it was since you lived together it made sense.”

“And how we’re always each other’s plus one?”

“You were both going anyway, it seemed like a convenience thing.”

“When I literally call him the love of my life?”

“No offence, but you’re known for the dramatics, Joey, it didn’t seem that out of place.”

Chris Silverwood shook his head, exasperated, “Maybe training can wait just a tad longer while we try to work out _how in God’s good name_ you could ever have missed this.”

(And if the lads threw themselves into the wedding planning with extra enthusiasm to try and make up for lost time, then Jos and Joe weren’t going to complain - many hands making light work and all that…)

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> And they live happily ever after. The End.  
> Hope you enjoyed !! Xx


End file.
